Improvement in rotary plows



titel" iatee NELSON T. JUDD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF- COLUMBIA..

Letters Patent No. 109,741, dated November 29, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT lN ROTARY PLOWS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

wheeled frame, and operated by gez'ning connectedl with 'the main supporting-wheels of said frame.

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of my plow, taken on the line x-a of fig. 2;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of dthe plow; and

Figure 3 is a part detached.-

In proceeding t0 construct my plow, I lrst provide two shafts or axles, A and. B, and mount them each on two wheels, and connect them by a suitable reach or frame, O, as shown in figs. l and 2.

The wheels D of the rear axle B I mount loosely thereon, so as to turn freely, and the axle itself I mount in boxes or bearings' on the reach C, so as to turn freely therein. rl'he front axle A I pivot to the reach, so as to turn or swing laterally in turning the machine about, and I connectto it, in suitable manner, a tongue, for attaching the horses.

On the rear axle B I mount a strong frame, F,

Awhich has on each side an arm, a, which projects out behind the axle, as shown in fig. 2.-

This frame F I mountso as to tilt or vibrate freely on thc axle, and through its front end I pass a vertical screw, G, which is provided on its upper end with a hand-wheel, l), and connected at its lower end to the reach-bar O, as shown in figs. 1 and 2.

By turning the hand-wheel b the frame I" is tilted or vibrated on the axle B, and the re'ar ends of the arms a of the frame thrown up or down, according to the direction in which the screw is turned.

In the arms a I mount a transverse shaft, H, and ou this shaft secure a number of parallel wheels or disks, I, and to each of the wheels secure three plows, K, equidistant from each other. v

rIhe plows K I construct each with a slotted arm or standard, d, andin the wheels I, I make grooves, e, to receive said arms, which, after being inserted, are fastened by set-screws, f, so that the plows can be adjusted nearer to or further from the shaft, as occasion may require.

rlhe plows are of such width and are so adjusted that cach one cuts the whole space between the furrows of the adjoining plows ou each side. Eachplow l'locate a little in advance ofthe next plow to the right ou the adjoining wheel, so that, in thc machine,

.On the inner side of the hub of each wheel D I form ratchet-teeth, h, and on the shaft B I mount sliding clutches, t, moving on splines. or feathers on the shaft, and which may be thrown in and ont of gearwith teeth h, so that the driving-wheels will turn the shaft or not, as desired.

'Io the ends of shaft B I secure, rigidly, two cogwheels, L, and to the ends of shaft H, pinions, M, which mesh with wheels L, as shown in g. 2.

When the parts are thus arranged and the clutches engaged, the wheels D, in revolving, turn shaft B and its wheels L, and the latter operate pinons M, and rotate the shaft H audits `plows in the direction shown in iig. l by the arrow.

lo each'sidc of the frame F I secure a spring, Z, which bears against the inside of the corresponding clutch i, and tends to keep the same engaged with the teeth 7i.

I also pivot to each side of the frame a lever, m, which has its back end forked and inserted into a groove in the corresponding clutch, and its forward end pivoted to a horizontal sliding pin, n, which extends through the bar of the frame, as shown in iig. 2.

On the reach-bar O I secure a platform, O, and on the front end of the platform secure a` bar, o, which has on each end a beveled head, p. These heads p are so located, that, as the front end of frame F is depressed, the pins n strike upon the heads, and are forced back by the same, so as to n operate the' levers an. and disengage the clutches i. Then the front of the fra-me is again elevated so as to lift the pins n from A the inclined heads, the springs l again throw the clutches into gear. 'lhus it will be seen that the clutches are automatically engaged when the front of the frame is raised, and disengaged when the same is depressed.

In operating the plow, the screw is turned so as tov raise -the front end of the frame, whereby the clutches are coupled, and the plows lowered. The machine is then drawn forward, when the plows aresetin motion and caused to cut into the ground. The plows in each row operate in succession, and they are then followed, in like manner, by those iu the next row. The

plows, it will be seen,'rcvolve forward, so that each plow is given a quick cut into the ground, and then` carried forward and up, so as to lift and turn over the soil it has loosened. plows serves to thoroughly break up and pulverize the soil, and leave it in a soft and mellow condition.

By arranging the plows as described, so as to out' in succession, I am enabled to'operate the machine with a small expenditure ofppowe'r, and, by the arrangement of the rows of plows, to cultivate a very wide strip of ground. By adjusting the screw G, the

plows may be arrangedto cut to any desired depth.

When the machine is'in operation the wheels onone anni @dat In this manner the series of side run in the furrow, and, consequently, the plows on that side `require to be set-nearer the shaft H, as they would otherwise out .deeper than those on the opposite side.

When the plow is to be transported, as in going to or from the field, the screw is turned so as to depress the front end of frame F, and thereby throw the plows ont of theground, and disengage the clutches.

It is obvious that the plows may be detached from the wheels I, andtheir places lled by any other suitable tools or implement-s. so that the machine will answer, for instance, as a harrow or scarafier.

' 1t is also obvious that, instead` of using animal power for operating the machine, steamlpower may he applied in any suitable manner.

Having thus fully described my invention,

1. Theframe F, pivoted centrally on the axle B, having a series of rotary plows mounted upon a trans- 'verse shaft at its rear end, and so arranged that, by adjusting its front end, the plows can be raised or lowered at will, substantially as dcscribed.

2. The arrangement of a'scries of gangs of rotary plows, substantially as described, whereby the plows of each gang may be adjusted to ent at any required depth, independently ofthe other gangs in the series, so that, while one side of the machine is lowerthan the other, the whole series of plows niay be adjusted to cut at a uniform depth, as set forth.

4. The oscillating-frame F, having levers on, with their pins n and springs l attached thereto,in con1bina- -tion with the front frame or reach O, having the screw G and inclines pthereon, and the sliding clutches t' and wheels D, with the clutches h, all arranged to operate as and for the purpose sct forth.

Witnesses: NELSON T. JUDD.

PHIL. T. DODGE;

W. O. DODGE, 

